Hardware & Gear
El Gato game capture card
What is deductible
Doordash Chipotle that you eat at home
Not a deduction, it is considered a personal meal
You pay monthly for a video editing app
What is a deduction as a software subscription?
You fly to a gaming convention where you’re filming content and meeting with fans.
What is a deduction because the primary purpose of the trip is business?
Oakley Sunglasses that make you look cool
Not a deduction, as it is common and ordinary
A PS5 that you use to play games on stream and with your partner
Partially deductible. Since it is not 100% being used for business, you are not able to write it off completely
A coffee with your editor
Deductible. Meals with a team member or contractor are able to be deducted at the standard food deduction - 50%
You subscribe to a couple of top creators on Twitch to learn from their channel.
What is a deductible expense?
You drive across town for a collaboration shoot. You track the miles.
What is using the standard mileage rate to deduct business travel by car?
Deadpool costume that you wear on a Halloween stream
What is deductible
You buy a drone 100% for business use, but didn't register it with the FAA
What is not deductible. Illegal activities are always not tax deductible
A red bull that you drink while on stream
Not a deduction. Just because it's on camera, does not meant that you are able to write it off. If it is a red bull flavor review, this can change things. But simply consuming it live does not mean much
You buy a photo editing app that you mostly use for thumbnails, but you also touched up your partner's headshot photos.
What is a deduction, primarily on business purpose?
You spend three nights in a hotel for an out-of-state creator meetup and record a whole vlog series while you’re there.
What is a deduction when you’re traveling primarily for business?
You buy a bunch of houseplants for your streaming area. They are not in view of the camera.
What is not a deduction?
You buy a neon sign with your channel name on it and hang it behind you so it’s always on camera.
What is deductible as long as its primary purpose is for the content, not interior decorating?
You grab lunch while traveling for a convention, but you’re eating alone and not filming anything.
What is 50% deduction, since it qualifies as a trip for work?
You pay for Photoshop. But you sometimes use it to design birthday cards for friends.
What is a deduction as a business subscription, so long as you take out any non-business use. The deduction only covers the business portion?
You vlog your vacation as “day in the life” but there’s no revenue, sponsorship, or connection to your previous content.
What isn't a deduction? A vlog isn’t automatically a business expense, hoppy content does not count as a deduction.
You pay a freelance editor $800 to finish a video, and you issue them the correct tax form at the end of the year.
What is a deduction? Paying for contractor or freelance services is considered a business expense. You have to issue the correct tax forms after paying for any service above $599.
You build a PC. Some parts you originally bought just to play personal games, but you later move them into your editing machine.
What is a capital asset that has to be deducted based on when it actually started being used for the business?
You host a community meetup at a local café. You pay for food only for attendees who show up wearing your merch, and you film parts of the event for a sponsored video. Some people who aren’t in the video also get fed.
What is deductible when the primary purpose is marketing or advertising, even if not everyone is directly involved in the content?
You subscribe to a cloud storage service that backs up all your raw footage, editing projects, and channel assets. You also store your personal photos from the last decade.
What is a deduction only to the extent it supports the business, requiring a reasonable allocation method?
You upgrade to first class and a fancy hotel when there’s no business reason for it (like needing to film onboard or entertain sponsors).
Excess personal benefit can make the upgrade non-deductible. If you did not need to film onboard for entertainment or sponsor reasons, you cannot write off an upgrade.
You hire a cleaning service for your entire apartment. The filming area is only a small part of the space.
What is not a deduction beyond the specific business-use portion?